Skyway holds on to win Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar

Skyway held off fast-closing Henry’s Holiday by a length Sunday in the $300,000 Best Pal Stakes for 2-year-olds at Del Mar.

Ridden by Stewart Elliott, Skyway ran six furlongs on Polytrack in 1:16.67 and paid $6.20, $3.60 and $2.80 as the 2-1 favorite.

Henry’s Holiday, ridden by Tyler Baze, returned $4.40 and $3.20, while Bad Read Sanchez was another length back in third and paid $3 to show. Baze, who became a father for the first time Saturday, finished second in three races, leaving him one win short of 2,000 in his career.

“He broke well, we were in a good spot and he was comfortable,” Elliott said of Skyway. “When I asked him, he responded well. He was a little green there. He was wanting to lean in changing his leads. Part of maturing. He’ll learn and go on from here.”

Elliott earned his first stakes win at the seaside track, while trainer Mark Casse won for the first time here. Both are in their first summers at Del Mar.

The victory, worth $120,000, increased Skyway’s career earnings to $157,390, with two wins in three starts. Owned by John Oxley, Skyway shipped in from the East Coast for the race.

Cat’s Claw wins

Cat’s Claw came from off the pace to win the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Waya by 1 1/4 lengths at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The 4-year-old Dynaformer filly, who only drew into the race after a pair of early scratches, ran 1 1/2 miles in 2:27.08 over a firm inner turf course and paid $28.40, $12.20 and $7 in her stakes debut.

It was the fifth win for Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard in the Waya, which debuted in 1993 and was reinstated in 2003 after a five-year absence.

A Group 1 winner in Brazil in 2012, Viva Rafaela held on for second, returning $8.60 and $6.90, and English Class paid $5.90 to show.